The largest chemical company in the world, BASF develops, produces and markets a comprehensive portfolio of more than 600 intermediates around the world including amines, diols, polyalcohols, acids and specialties. Among other applications, intermediates are used as starting materials for coatings, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textile fibers, detergents and crop protectants. In addition, the company offers a broad range of ingredients for hygiene, personal care, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, and technical applications with such high performance products as surfactants, emulsifiers, polymers, emollients, chelating agents, cosmetic active ingredients, pigments, UV filters and superabsorbent polymers developed for the full spectrum of hygiene applications. Founded in 1865, BASF conducts business in more than 170 countries and supplies nearly 8,000 products to customers in more than 200 countries. BASF is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and employs more than 116,000 people globally.